Water supply mechanism



March 1, 1966 J. A. KOZEL WATER SUPPLY MECHANISM Filed Nov. 28, 1962 w m w 0 9 o 8 0 4 0 o 2 o m 0 0 an 0 .00 a It 0 0 l W Am MM M r A T G 0 6mm m m MW M PF r bl! pesssuee 020, PS1,. w ouwsrs 4r SAME PRESSURE INVENTOR.

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United States Patent 3,237,635 WATER SUPPLY MECHANISM James A. Kozel, Franklin, Mich., assignor to American Radiator &'Standard Sanitary Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 28, 1962, Ser. No. 240,578 1 Claim. (Cl. 137-114) This invention relates to clothes washing machines and particulary to mechanisms for supplying predetermined quantities of water to the washing machine clothes container.

One object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine water supply mechanism wherein the quanitity of water supplied to the container is accurately regulated by means of a pilot flow of water directed onto a pressure switch which controls the water supply valve. The pilot flow is at all times proportioned to the main flow in the same ratio irrespective of substantial variations in water supply pressure.

An additional object is to provide a washing machine water supply mechanism which can be used to accurately fill a clothes container to various different predetermined water levels.

A further object is to provide a washing machine water supply mechanism which can be constructed at lesser cost than other mechanisms having similar functional characteristics.

Other objects of this inventiol will appear from the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is aview, partly schematic, of a washing machine arrangement incorporating features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view, partly schematic, of a second washing machine arrangement incorporating features of the invention;

, FIG. 3 is chart illustrating certain performance characteristics of the FIG. 1 water supply mechanism.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly FIG. 1, there is schematically shown an automatic washing machine arrangement, including a stationary water reservoir and a rotary basket-like clothes container 12. Disposed beneath reservoir 10 is a power means 14 which may include an electric motor and transmission having an output sleeve 16 connected with basket 12 and an output shafit connected with the spindle 18 of an agitator 20. The general arrangement is conventional and operates so that when the electric motor is operated in one direction the sleeve 16 is effective to spin basket 12 for extraction of water through holes 68, and when the electric motor is operated in the reverse direction the agitator 20 is oscillated to agitate the clothes and water in basket 12. A motor-driven pump 56 is provided for discharging water from the machine.

In order to introduce water into the machine there is provided a water supply valve 22 which may be of conventional construction, and which preferably is constructed as shown in FIGS. 1 through 6 of US. Patent 2,712,324. The valve, as shown in the instant drawings,

3,237,635 Patented Mar. 1, 1966 "ice includes a valve body 24 having a hot water inlet 26 and a cold water inlet directly behind inlet 26. Inlet 26 conducts water toa diaphragm-type valve element within body 24, which valve element is controlled by a solenoid 28, all as more particularly described in the aforementioned U.S. patent. The cold water inlet conducts liquid to a second diaphragm-type valve element which is controlled by a second solenoid 30, the general arrangement being such that when only solenoid 28 is energized hot water is discharged through outlet chamber 32, when only the cold solenoid 30 is energized cold liquid is discharged through chamber 32, and when both solenoids are energized warm water is discharged through chamber 32. When both solenoids are de-energized both diaphragms are closed, and there is no flow of water into chamber 32.

The rate at which the water flows through chamber 32 is regulated by a deformable flow control member 34 which may for example be constructed as shown in US. Patent 2,454,929. As shown in FIG. 1, deformable member 34 is disposed within a pocket formed between valve 24 and a liquid passage member 36. Member 36 is configured to define an inlet chamber or passage 38, a main outlet chamber or passage 40 and a pilot outlet chamber or passage 42. Chamber 40 is formed as part of a spigot 44, and chamber 42 is part of the spigot 46. As shown schematically spigot 44 connects with a hose which discharges across an air gap into the clothes container 12, and spigot 46 connects with a hose 52 which discharges across an air gap into an upright tube 47 and conduit 58.

Conduit 58 is of appreciably smaller cross sectional dimension than basket 12, and the fiow through hose 52 is substantially less than (but proportionate to) the flow through hose 50. During the filling operation tube 47 liquid collects in conduit 58 which is located below an air conduit 60. The upper end of conduit 60 connects with a conventional pressure switch 62 which may have one or more switch blades operated by a diaphragm as for example shown in US. Patent 2,636,092. A valve 63 may be provided to prevent draining away of the water during the filling period.

The arrangement of hoses 50 and 52 is such that while container 12 is being filled, water in conduit 58 rises so that the trapped air in tube 60 develops an increasing pressure on the diaphragm operator within pressure switch 62. At a predetermined water level in conduit 58 switch 62 is actuated to de-energize the circuit for coils 28 and 30. The water valve thus closes to discontinue the filling operation. The switch may be of the adjustaable type as shown in U.S. Patent 2,636,093 to provide for a multiplicity of water levels.

One advantage in the FIG. 1 arrangement is that conduit 58 is only required to receive a small quantity of water, whereby substantially all of the supply water is utilized within container 12. A further advantage is that conduit 58 can contain a relatively long Water column so as to provide sensitive and accurate switch operation, with precise water level control.

It will be realized that the FIG. 1 arrangement depends for successful operation on an accurate proportioning of the flow through passages 40 and 42. Thus, the flow through passage 42 must always bear the same ratio to the flow through passage 40 irrespective of variations in water supply pressure. It has been found that by using a deformable regulating member 34 in combination with the two fixed orifice passages 40 and 42, accurate proportioning of the flow streams is realized in spite of substantial variations in chamber 32 pressure. The chart of FIG. 3 plots the performance of a FIG. 1 arrangement wherein passage 42 has a diameter of about .051 inch and passage 40 has a diameter of about .280 inch. In a pressure range from about twenty p.s.i. through psi. the

main flow through passage 40 averaged about 2.75 gallons per minute, and the pilot flow through passage 42 averaged about .12 gallon per minute. More important for present purposes, the ratio of the pilot'fiow through passage 42 to the main flow through passage 40 averaged about .046 over a relatively wide pressure range, i.e., from about twenty p.s.i. up to about 120 p.s.i. If then our requirements call for a ratio of .046 as denoted by dotted line 61, We are within a tolerance of plus or minus five percent of the requirement for the entire pressure range starting from twenty p.s.i. For many situations this tolerance represents a satisfactory performance ratio.

By using a single deformable flow control member 34 upstream from two calibrated orifices 40 and 42 I am able to very accurately proportion the relative flows through the two hoses 50 and 52 in spite of substantial variations in supply pressure. I am therefore able to actuate the pressure switch. 62 at a pressure which is closely representative of desired water level in container 12. The

reasoning behind the use of single flow control member 34 and calibrated orifices 40 and 42 is that member 34 serves to stabilize the pressure in chamber 38 such that the fixed orifices are able to regulate the fiow in the desired manner.

It will be noted that passage portion 42 is directed at an angle to passage portion 38. Tests were made using a passage member wherein passage portion 42 was formed as an axial extension of passage portion 38. However the results were erratic due it is believed to the nature of the water jet issuing from member 34. The jet stream of water apparently widens out as it nears passage portion 42 so that considerable erratic turbulence and velocity head effects are experienced in passage portion 42 when said portion is located in direct axial alignment with member 34. By locating passage portion 42 in the FIG. 1 position a substantial portion of the velocity head is converted to pressure head, and stabilized performance is obtained.

It has been proposed to proportion a main stream into two component streams by using two flow control members in parallel with one another. Thus, in the FIG. 1 arrangement one of the flow control members would be positioned within passage portion 40 and a smaller flow control member would be positioned in passage portion 42. Such an arrangement is not satisfactory however because it depends on each flow control member exerting substantially the same control action on its respective stream. In practice this is very difficult of achievement since different size flow control members have slightly diiferent performance characteristics. Thus, flow control member 34 produces a peak flow rate in the range from about forty p.s.i. through seventy p.s.i., whereas a smaller size flow control member would produce a peak flow rate in a somewhat lower pressure range.

It has also been suggested that the proportioning action could be achieved by using a flow control member 34 in combination with a second flow control member in one or the other of passages 40 and 42. However such an arrangementdoes not achieve the desired result since the second flow control member tends to smooth out the flow in its controlled stream without a corresponding smoothing out of the flow in the other stream.

FIG. 1 shows one form of the invention, but it will be realized that some variation can be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, it is possible to provide an auxiliary control valve 64 between inlet chamber 38a and the pilot orifice 42a. A solenoid 66 opens valve 64 to allow flow through orifice 42a. In the FIG. 2 arrangement hose 52 discharges into reservoir instead of into a separate conduit system as in FIG. 1. The main fiow takes place through a passage portion 40a which is formed in a spigot extending out of the plane of the paper. The spigot thus is not visible in the drawing.

The purpose in providing yalve 64 is to permit two liquid levels to be realized with a conventional pressure switch 67; Patent 2,656,431 shows one suitable form which the switch might take. When valve 64 is closed the clothes container may be completely filled, as for example to the, twelve gallon level, and when valve 64 is opened the clothes container may be partially filled, as for example to the eight gallon level.

Assuming that valve 64 is closed, the flow of water through hose 50 will fill container 12 to the level of holes 68, after which the excess will overflow into reservoir 10 to actuate switch 67. When solenoid 66 is energized to open valve 64, a minor part of the chamber 32 liquid will fiow through hose 52 so as to discharge directly into reservoir 10. Switch 67 is then actuated by the reservoir 10 liquid when container 12 is partially filled to the desired level.

With the FIG. 2 arrangement the amount of liquid for actuating the switch is greater than in the case of the FIG. 1 arrangement because the reservoir 10 cross section is greater than that .of conduit 47 and 58. Passage portion 42a is therefore preferably of greater cross section than passage portion 42 to accommodate the greater flow. Both arrangements however'utilize the porportioning principle wherein a deformable pressure-regulating member 34 is utilized in conjunction with the calibrated outlet passages to provide continually proportioned flows in two streams irrespective of substantial variation in water supply pres sure.

' I claim:

In a washing machine comprising a water reservoir, a clothes container disposed with the reservoir, said container having overflow means for discharging water into the reservoir upon attainment of a predetermined container water level; an electrically-operated water valve for supplying water to said container; a pressure switch actuable to de-energize the water valve upon attainment ofa predetermined discharge of water into the reservoir; a water passage member carried by the water valve to receive water therefrom; said water passage member being partitioned to define an inlet chamber, a first relatively large diameter outlet passage communicating with the inlet chamber, and a second relatively small diameter outlet passage communicating with the inlet chamber; an electrically-energized shut-off valve means operatively positioned on said water passage member to interrupt fiow from the inlet chamber through the second passage without interferring with flow from the inlet chamber through the first passage; resilient deformable flow control means located between the water valve and the inlet chamber of the passage member to provide a substantially constant water pressure in said inlet chamber when the water valve is energized; a first water line connecting the first outlet passage with the clothes container; and a second water line connecting the second passage with the water reservoir; whereby energization of both the water valve and shut-off valve means causes the switch to be actuated before the container water level reaches the overflow means, and energization of only the water valve causes the switch to be actuated only after container water has overfiowed into the reservoir through the overflow means.

References Cited by theExaminer UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,528,422 10/1950 Chace 137-606 X 2,560,293 7/1951 Kempton 137-606 2,620,134 12/1952 Obermaier 137606 X 2,869,347 1/1959 Gray 137-406 X 2,885,879 5/1959 Bloom 137-403 X 3,000,607 9/1961 Bauerlein 137606 X ISADOR WEIL, Primary Examiner.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, WILLIAM F. ODEA,

Examiners. 

